JOB SUMMARY

Located in the nation’s capital, the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) is the chief legal office of the District of Columbia. OAG enforces the laws of the District, defends and provides legal advice to the District’s government agencies and protects the interests of the District’s residents. This position is located in the Public Safety Division.

The Public Safety Division is comprised of more than 120 attorneys and professional staff. The division includes six sections:

• The Criminal Section prosecutes certain types of adult misdemeanor offenses.
• The Juvenile Section prosecutes delinquency offenses committed by youth under the age of 18.
• The Fraud and Public Corruption Section prosecutes criminal offenses involving financial fraud and offenses committed by public officials that undermine the public trust.
• The Domestic Violence and Special Victims Section prosecutes violations of civil protection orders (CPOs); represents petitioners in obtaining CPOs and extreme risk protection orders that remove guns from dangerous persons; prosecutes sexual offenses, dating violence, and offenses against vulnerable victims when committed by youth under the age of 18; and pursues protective proceedings for vulnerable adults being abused, neglected or exploited.
• The Mental Health Section represents the Department of Behavioral Health in civil commitment proceedings where mental health consumers suffer from mental illness and are a danger to self or others.
• The Restorative Justice Section supports survivors of crime through the prosecution process and facilitates restorative conferences between offenders and survivors of crime where the offenders seek to take accountability for their actions and survivors wish to have a facilitated conversation with those who have caused them harm. The Section also makes social services referrals, provides support during court proceedings, conducts field visits to meet clients in their communities, and delivers trainings on restorative justice practices and crime victim resources.

The Deputy Attorney General for the Public Safety Division, who reports to the First Deputy Attorney General, is responsible for the management and oversight of all division operations. There are two Assistant Deputies in the Public Safety Division to support the work of the Deputy.  Each of the Division’s six sections is managed by a Chief. Each Chief reports to the Deputy.

The Deputy is responsible for effectively managing the work of all Public Safety Division attorneys and staff. The Deputy’s core duties include developing and implementing a strategic plan for the Public Safety Division consistent with the Attorney General’s vision; evaluating the performance of Public Safety Division attorneys and staff; managing the Public Safety Division’s budget; overseeing all Public Safety Division litigation; providing thought leadership to the Attorney General in connection with public education, community engagement and communications concerning public safety issues in the District; and working with other division Deputies on matters that cross divisions. In carrying out these duties, the Deputy advises and works closely with the Attorney General and the First Deputy Attorney General, keeping the Immediate Office informed and updated routinely on matters of importance.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The responsibilities of the Deputy Attorney General for the Public Safety Division include:

• Directly supervising and assessing the performance of the Public Safety Division Assistant Deputies, Section Chiefs, and other direct reports;
• Indirectly supervising and assessing the performance of Public Safety Division attorneys, paralegals, and support staff;
• Advising the Attorney General and the First Deputy Attorney General on issues confronting the Public Safety Division;
• Establishing a strategic plan for the Public Safety Division;
• Maintaining and bolstering the morale of Public Safety Division staff with effective management practices that prioritize high performance, job satisfaction, professional growth, team-building, and camaraderie;
• Providing and facilitating guidance, mentoring, training and other necessary support for the Public Safety Division Assistant Deputies, Section Chiefs, attorneys, and professional staff;
• Supervising all Public Safety Division work, including all litigation and all advice provided to OAG and other District agencies, in coordination with the Assistant Deputies and Section Chiefs;
• Overseeing the administration of the Public Safety Division, including establishing and ensuring compliance with policies and procedures, generating monthly case reports and other evaluative tools for the Attorney General and First Deputy Attorney General, and preparing annual budget requests, monitoring spending against approved budgets, and continuously assessing the Public Safety Division’s budgetary needs;
• Assisting with the preparation for OAG’s annual Council oversight and budget hearings;
• Monitoring significant changes in laws and regulations applicable to the Public Safety Division’s work;
• Communicating and working with District officials from other District agencies, the Council, and the federal government on issues pertaining to the Public Safety Division’s work, including representing the agency on various committee;
• Engaging in public speaking about the Public Safety Division’s work, including with the press and the Council and through community engagement activities;
• Assisting, as part of OAG’s senior management team, with agency-wide initiatives, including agency committees; and
• Coordinating with other OAG Division Deputies on cross-Divisional work.

HOW TO APPLY: Application must be completed in its entirety, along with the following submissions:

1) Cover Letter

2) Résumé

3) Legal Writing Sample

4) A List of Three References

*Please upload all of these documents as one combined PDF in the “resume” field of the application. If experiencing issues uploading attachments, please send the required documents to OAGrecruitment@DC.gov. Failure to submit the required documentation may lead to non-consideration for the position.**

QUALIFICATIONS AND EDUCATION

The successful candidate for this position must possess a Juris Doctor; be a member of the District of Columbia bar or have the ability to waive in and be admitted within 360 days of appointment; and have a minimum of ten (10) years of experience as a practicing attorney. The ideal candidate should possess: strong managerial, organizational and interpersonal skills, together with significant experience in organizational management; significant experience supervising legal work, including the work of both attorneys and non-attorney legal professionals; significant experience in criminal law and public safety, ideally involving one or more of the following areas:  juvenile justice, adult criminal prosecution or defense, civil commitment, and domestic violence; effective oral and written communication skills; the ability to manage a high volume workload in a fast-paced environment; and an aptitude for innovatively using the law to vindicate the rights and interests of the District and its residents. The successful candidate may not possess every one of these skills. Individuals with many of these skills, even if not all of them, are encouraged to apply.

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS

The incumbent must be an active member in good standing of the District of Columbia Bar or have the ability to waive in and be admitted within 360 days of appointment. An appointee to the Legal Supervisory Service shall remain a member in good standing of the District of Columbia Bar and be admitted to practice in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia during his/her employment in the Legal Supervisory Service.

If not currently a member of the District of the Columbia Bar, prior to appointment, the successful candidate must send proof that his/her completed District of Columbia Bar application has been submitted to the District of Columbia Bar.

WORKING CONDITIONS/ENVIRONMENT

Work is normally performed in an office environment. Generally, work is sedentary, some walking, handling, and carrying of light to moderately heavy objects (such as case records, briefcases, and exhibits) is required.

OTHER SIGNIFICANT FACTS

1st screening will occur after after seven (7) days.

Tour of Duty: Monday – Friday; 8:00 am – 5:00 pm

Duration of Appointment: This position is an at-will appointment in the Senior Executive Attorney Service.

Plan, Series, Grade: LX-0905-02

Salary: Negotiable between $138,443 – $195,000; salary will be based on available funding for this position; and applicants professional legal service experience.

Collective Bargaining Unit (Non-Union): This position is not covered under a collecting bargaining agreement.

RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS: This position is in the Senior Executive Attorney Service and therefore the selected candidate will be required to reside in the District of Columbia or move to the District of Columbia within 180 days of appointment and will need to remain a resident of the District of Columbia for the duration of their employment in this position.

POSITION DESIGNATION: In accordance with Chapter 4 of the D.C. personnel regulations, Suitability, this position has been deemed Security-Sensitive. Accordingly, the incumbent will be subject to pre-employment checks (criminal background checks, consumer credit check, traffic record checks, and drug screenings, if applicable) as a condition of employment, and will be subject to periodic criminal background checks for the duration of your tenure.

EEO STATEMENT: The District of Columbia Government is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified candidates will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, family responsibilities, matriculation, physical handicap, or political affiliation.

NOTICE OF NON-DISCRIMINATION:  In accordance with the D.C. Human Rights Act of 1977, as amended, D.C. Official Code, Section 2-1401.01 et. seq. (Act), the District of Columbia does not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, familial status, family responsibilities, matriculation, political affiliation, disability, genetic information, source of income, or place of residence or business. Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination that is also prohibited by the Act. In addition, harassment based on any of the above-protected categories is prohibited by the Act. Discrimination in violation of the Act will not be tolerated. Violators will be subject to disciplinary action.

OFFICIAL JOB OFFERS ARE TO BE MADE ONLY BY THE HUMAN RESOURCES SECTION OF THE OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL